A prolific Walmart shoplifter has finally been caught after stealing more than $20,000 worth of goods.
However, it’s not his sleight of hand but his hilariously apt name that has grabbed the thief headlines.
Speedy Gonzalez, 40, was caught on surveillance footage stuffing an empty trash can full of other goods and then scanning just the trash can at the self-checkout aisle at a Walmart in Gainesville, an hour northeast of Atlanta.
His tactic seems to be the latest variation of the infamous ‘banana trick’ used by shoplifters.
This is when a shopper takes a more expensive item and rings it up as bananas or another cheap item at the self-checkout.
Gonzalez allegedly stole from stores more than 20 times before being caught, according to local police.
After viewing the security tape – which showed Gonzalez stealing nicotine products, gum, diabetic test strips and other ‘high-priced items’ – police waited for him to return 10 days later and caught him in the same act.
After searching his car, police found stolen merchandise that linked Gonzalez to a string of other heists across North Georgia, including in Hall, Barrow, Gwinnett, Habersham, White, and Lumpkin counties.
Speedy Gonzalez, 40, was caught stealing from a Walmart in Gainesville, Georgia
Gonzalez has more than just shoplifting on his rap sheet.
The longtime criminal was also caught using stolen checks to buy $3,000 worth of goods from Home Depot in 2020.
Police discovered the checks had been stolen from a mailbox in Suwanee, a suburb of Atlanta.
Gonzales was booked into the Hall County Jail in Gainesville before being moved to a nearby jail in Barrow County, where he is being detained on felony charges.
It comes after a middle school principal in Florida was arrested for shoplifting from a Walmart in White Haven using a similar tactic.
According to police, Gregory Lewis had also been ‘skip scanning’, but this time by placing foam plates in between the scanner and more expensive items.
During his arrest, Lewis admitted to the crime, and said he thought he would try it out after his friends taught him how they shoplifted using the tactic.
Last month, a Florida woman was also caught using ‘banana trick’ to steal from Walmart.
The rollout of self-checkouts at large grocery and retail stores has been controversial as it has led to increased shoplifting and staff cuts.
Washington State’s legislature is even debating a bill that would regulate the use of the machines in grocery stores.
Gonzalez had targeted a string of Walmart stores across North Georgia
The principal at Bok Academy North in Polk County has been placed on leave pending a review
Walmart stores in Washington State could be subject to a new bill if it passes
The bill could force stores to employ more self-checkout attendants and integrate manned cashier stations.
If passed in its current form, the bill will ask stores to implement at least one staffed checkout lane when self-checkouts are open.
Stores would also be asked to schedule one attendant for every two self-checkout stations open in the store.
The bill would also limit state-wide self-checkout transactions to a 15-item purchase limit.
Stores that do not follow the rules could receive civil penalties of $100 per day up to $10,000.
The proposed regulations would apply to grocery stores over 15,000 square feet in size, which would likely include many major retailers in the state including Walmart, Safeway, and others.
Bulk goods stores with memberships, such as Costco, would be exempt.
